Winston and the Signal
by DonaldDouglasandToby6
Summary: A new signalman comes to Kellsthorpe Road, leading Winston to become a runaway. Stafford has an idea on how to save the little inspection car, but will it work?


Signals are important to a railway; they help the engines stay safe.

Sometimes, though, signalmen fall asleep on the job, causing accidents; this has happened many times in the past.

One day, Donald and Douglas were helping to build a new signal by Kellsthorpe Road.

Donald had brought the arm, which goes down when the signal is green.

Douglas had brought the metal pole, and now cranes were putting the pieces together.

The Fat Controller supervised the work in Winston, his inspection car.

The signal was almost finished and was ready for testing, and Douglas could handle the work alone now.

Donald was going to be sent to Edward's Branch Line to help with the goods work.

"Och, promise me ye won't crash into the signalbox like I did." Donald joked before he was about to leave.

Douglas laughed.

"I won't, Donal'. Dinna worry aboot it."

With that, Donald puffed away.

Secretly Douglas was a bit worried as a green car drove up.

"Who's that?" asked Douglas.

Douglas' driver scowled.

"I know him. He cut in front of me in line once at a restaurant. He's a cocky fellow, he is."

"But what's he doing here?" asked Douglas worriedly.

The Fat Controller walked up. "Everybody, this is the signalman for the updated Kellsthorpe Road signalbox. It's being renovated and the original signalman retired a couple of weeks ago."

The new signalman kicked a rock and snorted.

"Whatever, lets get down to business."

Douglas looked worriedly to his driver.

Throughout the day, Douglas helped test the signal to make sure it worked right, and nothing was wrong.

"Alright, time to change the signal to green." called a workman.

But the new signalman was lazy and often didn't do what he was told.

So he just stood in his signalbox and switched a lever, changing the points, without even looking down.

The Fat Controller wasn't very happy.

He stormed up the stairs and into the building.

"You are a Really Useless signalman!" he scolded, "You have caused delays!"

But the signalman just laughed.

"Do you think I should listen to you? You shouldn't be in charge! What have you done that's so important?"

The Fat Controller scowled.

"For your information, I have a railway to run."

"And for **yours** , I shouldn't be sitting in this chair all day." the signalman scoffed.

The Fat Controller sighed and walked out of the signalbox.

Douglas was worried that the signalman may cause more trouble.

"I wouldn't worry too much aboot it," said his driver, "If a signalman gets reckless, he'll be fired. Then again, ya never know with him."

But Douglas wasn't so sure; after all, many signalmen had caused accidents before and hadn't been fired.

The next day, Douglas was in a siding, waiting for the signalman to switch the points so he could get back to the yard.

The signalman was sleeping and was not paying attention.

Winston was arriving with the Fat Controller to inspect the signalbox to make sure it was stable.

The signal was green, and Winston couldn't know that some flatbeds full of logs were around the bend beyond the station.

But Douglas knew about them, for he had shunted them for Stafford, and he tried to warn him.

"Och, yon Winston! Stop! STOP!" cried Douglas, but Winston whizzed by without a word.

"Did you say something, Douglas?" asked Winston.

Douglas blew his whistle loudly.

"Stop lad! There be flatbeds up ahead!"

Winston raced by the green signal, just as the signalman woke up.

"Whoops... I'm bored... Eh, I'll just pull the lever..."

He pulled the lever and set the signal to red, just as Winston rounded the bend.

The Fat Controller looked back and saw that the signal was now red, which couldn't be right unless...

"The signalman made yet another mistake! That means danger! Winston, stop! Stop!"

He could see the trucks of logs ahead, which could only mean disaster.

The Fat Controller tried to put on the brakes, but Winston couldn't stop!

"Help! Help!" cried Winston, "I don't want to crash! I don't want to crash!"

The Fat Controller jumped out.

He landed with a loud thump as he fell into the ballast.

"Oooh," he groaned as he rubbed his belly, "Shouldn't have eaten that many donuts..."

"Sir, are you all right?"asked Douglas.

"No, I'm not! That blasted signalman!"

Douglas frowned.

"Come on Douglas, we must try and save my inspection car. I paid a lot of money for him and I don't expect to lose him."

"Right away!" and Douglas raced off with the Fat Controller aboard his cab.

Stafford arrived to shunt the trucks of logs for Duck and he saw Winston.

"Uh oh!" he gasped.

"Help!" cried Winston, "Please!"

Stafford noticed the inspection car and was quickly coupled up the flatbeds of logs.

"I've got a plan." Stafford whispered to his driver.

He then called to Winston.

"It's alright! You won't crash!"

Winston wasn't so sure though.

Stafford started backwards slowly, but picking up speed fast.

Douglas rounded the bend and saw Stafford.

"Stafford lad! What stunt are ye trying to pull off?!"

"I'm not trying to pull off a stunt," Stafford called back, "I'm helping you!"

Douglas was worried but slowed so Stafford could concentrate; however, he didn't let Winston out of his sight, either.

"That car's got to run out of fuel at some point..right?" said the Fat Controller.

Stafford and the flatbeds scurried out of the way with Winston racing behind.

"Aaah!" cried Winston as he hit a tree branch, "Ow!"

Winston raced along the track behind Stafford's flatbeds.

"Sir, help!" he cried as he could see Douglas and the Fat Controller through his mirror.

"We can't do anything laddie!" called Douglas, "Stafford's going to save ye..."

Douglas paused.

"I hope so at least."

Winston raced along the line, hitting low branches. "Ow! OW!"

Stafford slowed down so Winston could catch up.

"I sure hope you know what you're doing," cried Stafford's driver.

Stafford was determined.

"Of course I know what I'm doing, sir!"

Winston raced up to the flatbeds.

Douglas shut his eyes; he didn't want to look.

They raced all the way to Killdane, with Winston now right in front of the buffers of the flatbeds.

"Help, help!" cried Winston frantically.

At the station, Duck was being held up.

"I have to collect my logs for Arlesburgh," he complained, "This isn't the Great Western Way at all. On the Great Western, we're not pointlessly stopped at stations."

"Something must be wrong," said his driver.

Suddenly, Duck heard Stafford's horn.

"That's Stafford! But what is he doing out here? He's supposed to shunt my train at Kellshorpe Road!"

Suddenly Stafford and Winston scurried by.

"Oh, my! What's going on Stafford?" asked Duck worriedly.

"No time to chat, Duck! I've got to save Winston!" cried Stafford.

"Save him from what?"

"No time to explain!" and the driver put on the brakes.

Dennis was arriving with a goods train, and he was heading straight for Stafford.

"Out of my way!" he bellowed.

"I can't go forwards! You'll have to go in reverse!" cried Stafford, but Dennis just halted.

"Pfft, I'll just sit here. It's better than delivering these pipes to the Steelworks."

Stafford suddenly biffed into Dennis.

"OW!"

Then Stafford started pushing Dennis down a few hundred meters.

"Hey, what's going on! Help, I'm being held against my will!" Dennis shouted.

Stafford's brakes screeched as he stopped.

Winston then raced up to the flatbeds and banged into them, which was enough force to stop the little inspection car.

"Ow! My fender!"

"Are you all right Winston?" asked Duck worriedly.

"I think so. Whew! Thanks, Stafford!" panted Winston.

Stafford smiled kindly.

"No, problem! Anything for a friend!"

"Pah!" huffed Dennis, "Friends!? You just biffed me!"

"Boo hoo," grumbled Duck, "Serves you right for being a crosspatch."

Just then, The Fat Controller arrived in Douglas.

When he saw that Winston was alright, he couldn't help but grin.

"Well done, Stafford! You saved Winston! I'm giving that new signalman the sack, and I'll get a new signalman that knows what he's doing!"

"Thanks sir." said Stafford proudly.

Dennis just rolled his eyes.

"You can have a rest Winston; I think you would need it after this."

"Oh, thank goodness, sir! I don't want to go wayward anymore!" grinned Winston, "Twice was enough!"

Everyone laughed; except of course, Dennis, but nobody paid attention to him at the time anyway.

Later, the Fat Controller was walking up the stairs to the new signalbox again.

He grunted as he noticed the signalman eating a sandwich instead of doing his job.

The Fat Controller opened to the door, and the signalman just glared at him.

"What do you want now?" the signalman scowled.

The stout gentleman glared at the sandwich, then to the signalman.

"Slacking again, are we? Not surprising..." he said, starting to pace around the signalbox.

The signalman just rolled his eyes.

But the Fat Controller decided to just get straight to the point.

"You will not be working on my railway ever again. You are rude and don't do what you are told."

The signalman scoffed.

"Whatever..."

"And," continued the Fat Controller, "I'll be talking to the police about a possible accident."

"WHAT?!" cried the signalman and he ran off in a panic.

The Fat Controller chuckled, then sat down on a bench and sighed.

"You can't get good help these days, can you..."


End file.
